Beat Those Gloomy Winter Days

Now that the holidays are over, everyone is settling back into their old routines. However, the lack of sun, along with cold and dreary days, can create some “winter blues” for those living in Germany. The absence of natural Vitamin D can certainly take its toll on your mind and body.

So whether you’re new to Germany or have been here for many years, we have some informative tips and tricks to overcoming those gloomy winter months.

Get Outside: even thirty minutes of natural light will help keep those internal body clocks working correctly.

Get to the gym: there are plenty of fitness options, classes and fun ways to stay active throughout the winter. Check out the FSS Fitness Center’s or Aquatic Center’s schedules to find a class that works for you.

Eat expensive chocolate: that’s right, eat chocolate!! Because in the winter we don’t produce enough serotonin, you can help boost that with a little tryptophan, which is found in good, high cocoa content chocolate! Remember, limit your intake!

Invest in a UV Lamp: available in some stores on the economy. These lamps can be placed on your desk or at home next to your couch to give you that added boost.

Take Vitamin D: like all supplements, please consult your PCM before taking.

You can always beat those gloomy days by checking out what RTT or Ramstein Outdoor Recreation has to offer through their day or over-night trips. Not only will it help you get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air, you’ll get to experience some hidden gems throughout Germany!

Oktoberfest Fun Facts

History

The Oktoberfest dates back to the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities, held on the fields in front of the city gates. The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's fields") in honor of the Crown Princess ever since. Horse races marked the close of the event.

The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest. And since the Oktoberfest is still held on the Theresienwiese, the locals still refer to the event simply as the "Wies'n". So "welcome to the Wies'n" means nothing other than "welcome to the Oktoberfest"!

2014 Marks the 181 year of the Oktoberfest - now the largest festival in the world. The event has an international flavor and hosts more than 6 million visitors each year.

Oktoberfest 2014 Statistics

Officials called the 2014 event a "relaxed autumn-Wiesn with a grand finale". The number of visitors, from Munich and all over the world totalled 6,3 million.

112 oxen, 48 calves, around 506,000 chicken units and 120,000 pairs of pork sausages weer consumed, although beer consumption declined by 300,000 litres to 6.6 million as a result of cold and rainy weather this year. In fact the weather was so cold that stalls sold 2,000 liters of mulled wine normally reserved for the Christmas market season. Security guards in the 14 giant beer tents confiscated a total of 200,000 empty Mass liter glasses that visitors had tried to smuggle out of the tents as mementoes.

Anyone who has visited the Oktoberfest and seen hundreds of revellers dancing on the wooden tables, holding up their beer glasses and chanting along to DJ Ötzi's cover version of "Hey! Baby" knows how merry the atmosphere can get. For those who haven't, a look at the lost and found register evokes the raucous celebrations. Members of staff found 680 identity cards and passports, 410 wallets, 360 keys, 265 spectacles, 280 mobile phones and 80 cameras, one set of diving goggles, one set of angel's wings, a superman costume and four wedding rings.....

Visitors came from Austria and Switzerland, Italy and virtually from all over Europe, but also from Egypt, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Estonia, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Iceland, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Oman, Mozambique, Russia, Zambia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, Cayman Islands, Urugay and Cyprus - as evidenced by the cash machines used!